Back in May I had a cover shoot from Seattle Weekly to photograph Gravity Pay CEO Dan Price at the payment processing company’s headquarters in Ballard. The story was held until now to be included in the Best Of Issue. When I photographed him, Price’s decision to offer a starting salary of $70,000 per year to all of his employees was met by an immediate deluge of international attention. He cut his own multimillion-dollar pay to be able to finance the move. Of course not everyone was happy with the announcement, but the business is seeing an increase in sales and Price says he stands by the principles of making such a transition: for all his employees to have an actual livable wage in the Northwest. Price was humble, present, and generous with his time, and had no problem posing for a few shots with the coffee cup prop we brought in. I gave it to him after the shoot! Assisting by Ian Bates.

Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price at their headquarters in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle May 11, 2015. Photo by Daniel Berman for Seattle Weekly.

Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price at their headquarters in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle May 11, 2015. Photo by Daniel Berman for Seattle Weekly.

Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price at their headquarters in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle May 11, 2015. Photo by Daniel Berman for Seattle Weekly.

Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price at their headquarters in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle May 11, 2015. Photo by Daniel Berman for Seattle Weekly.

Back in March I got a surprising phone call. It was about 6 in the evening on a Monday and a producer at North6 was searching for a photographer to shoot for a Google project. Where? A remote Alaskan town. When? That weekend. I half expected a radio DJ to burst out laughing on the other end. But the assignment was to photograph an aerial tour guide in Talkeetna, a few hours north of Anchorage, as part of Google’s state-by-state Economic Impact Report highlighting how small businesses use Google services. I hoped for a chance to fly around Denali, but alas, that shoot became impossible due to scheduling. But I stayed in touch with the client and fortunately there were opportunities to take on assignments for the project in far more familiar places.

The streets of Seattle are filled with confetti and shouting tonight as the Seahawks bring home the Vince Lombardi trophy! Their incredible season was capped off by an absurdly effective offensive and defensive plan. What a game. I tried to catch some of the fray in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, where the cheering of Sea….was always met by a resounding HAAAAWKS. What a season and what a night!

Seattle Seahawks fans celebrate after their 43-8 victory in the Super Bowl over the Denver Broncos Sunday Feb. 2, 2014 on Ballard Avenue in Seattle. Photo by Daniel Berman/www.bermanphotos.com

This was an impressive event, and even on one of the hottest days of the year, several thousand Seattleites lined the streets of Ballard to watch the parade march by. This was a fun event to cover and the costumes made it easier.

Waldo Bueing rides in his Viking ship during the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009.

Kids dressed as trolls, from the Ballard Boys & Girls Club, watch the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009.

Sage Stutsman, 18, helps tie the costume of Casey Hanz, 7, during the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009.

Lynn and Ross Davidson walk around during the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009. The pair have been to every parade annually in the past 60 years.

Girls from the Nordic Heritage Museum play violins before the start of the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009.

Sig Hansen of TV's The Deadliest Catch, left, signs an autograph for fan Norman Aadland during the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009.

Girls from La Señoritas Military Drill Team relax before the Norwegian Constitution Day parade in Ballard Sunday May 17, 2009.